hepatoscopy

English

The Liver of Piacenza, a bronze Etruscan diagram of the regions of a sheep's liver used for hepatoscopy

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἡπατοσκοπία (hēpatoskopía), from ἥπατος (hḗpatos), genitive form of ἧπαρ (hêpar, “liver”) + σκοπέω (skopéō, “to see”). Equivalent to hepato- +‎ -scopy.

Noun

hepatoscopy (uncountable)

1. (rare) Divination by the liver of an animal or bird. The liver was divided into sections, each section representing a deity, and the markings in these zones were important.
   • 1973 Collier's Encyc. x.

     Hepatomancy...animal livers

Synonyms

• hepatomancy

Hypernyms

• haruspicy, extispicy (divination by entrails generally)

Hypernyms

• haruspicy